Cocktail guru David Wondrich calls the Zombie 'the mother of all freak drinks'. Which makes me wonder if I even want to attempt this cocktail. But if freaky can mean sexy and bad can mean good and phat can mean pretty hot and tempting. Then the phrase 'the mother of all freak drinks' can mean just about anything. So start mixing 'cuz here I go...

You probably associate the Zombie with the tiki bars of 1950s. But it actually made its appearance well before that. In fact it is said to be the invention of Earnest Raymond Beaumont Gantt and Cora Irene Sund, better known on these pages as Don the Beachcomber and Sunny Sund, owners of the iconic old Hollywood restaurant Don the Beachcomber. I told their whole story already when I introduced you to Rumaki. CLICK here for all the details.

David Wondrich credits the inspiration for this cocktail 'as liquid CPR for some poor SOB experiencing death by hangover'. But I have also read that Don first whipped one up for a friend who was traveling cross-country by airplane and needed some liquid courage. In any case, the Zombie has stumbled arms first into the consciousness of the American cocktail culture. A true party drink. By the time tiki culture went rogue, the Zombie, with all its nefarious 'no-more-than-two-to-a-customer charms' became the ultimate symbol of alcoholic bravado.